Frankie Crocker

Not totally sure re this but Lana looks like a budget reissue label, maybe for the hits at the time. Curious to know as there are a variety of artists on the Lana label.

I had just the one in the recent trickle. Whoever found the stash let them out subtly and sensibly - I was aware of a couple of others at auction but oblivious to a large find. So are we to believe that there were four 25 count boxes in a 100 count carton... At no time did it look like there were this number of mint records coming to market, but if deals for 5-6 copies were being done, that's hardly surprising. What were the sales prices in the bulk-buy deals fellas? Fantastic record by the way and still very hard to come by even now.

Ditto, sounds just like Timi. I have 'Look Out Love' by the Inverts, as well as 'I'm Lost' by Sherry and the Inverts which sounds a bit like Timi at times but like another singer at other points of the record. I also have a Bell Test pressing by the Inverts called 'Baby I'm Lost' which is an instrumental version of 'I'm Lost', presumably unreleased. All good tracks I hasten to add. So, who is Sherry then?

Yep, could well be. Or something in the pressing process. Or maybe in the label drying process perhaps. Really not too sure but do know that all swirly label records need to be treated with caution as they are coming off a modern press. Any vinyl record pressing plant operators out there who could shed some light on this one?

No, but Darren warned us by email as the story was breaking. Credit to Pete for giving us the details identifying the fakes.

Cheers Pete, credit where it is due. It is most useful to have this info out in the open.

I think Ian's article was well written and confirmed his passion for collecting Motown, money no object. There is a hint of his interest in obscurities that would eventually broaden into collecting Northern, DJing crossover and plugging disco. There is not a hint of the megalomania that would take over when he became King Tut on the decks in the Highland Room, reinvent himself in the image of Berry Gordy to manufacture pop-soul and more recently, bid to become record salesman of the month ...

The swirly effect is a real giveaway and has been evident on US bootlegs for a long time. I suspect this is a modern by-product of the technology used as it looks like an ink-jet type label rather than a stuck on paper label, but not being an expert, this is a guess. Of more concern would be the source of the actual music - assuming the fakers have not used the master tapes, they have dubbed from originals and tweaked the sound digitally, again more guesswork. Whatever the story, it looks like owners of high end rarities are in cahoots with a dodgy sound engineer, label forger and a pressing plant operator open to shady business. Darren Brown has sensibly published a list of these counterfeits and offered to validate any recent purchases bought as originals that may be forgeries. It is worrying that any collector or dealer would get embroiled in this conspiracy.

Many thanks for all the interest shown. I have enough 'virtually unknown' records for a couple of more sales ads so please keep an eye out in the weeks ahead.

Is that a muffled titter running round the courtroom. Nick, infamy, infamy...

For sale, five very rare sounds, mainly on local USA labels. All good enough to play out yet known to very few collectors as hardly any have shown up. Prices include postage to UK addresses. Payment via PayPal family& friends please. PM to reserve records or for further info. Playthings-Whole Lot Of Nothing/Good Morning Valentine-Kobra(Chattanooga, Tennessee) VG- WOL Unlisted but sound clips on YouTube @£120. Very catchy uptempo. SOLD Azie Mortimer-Little Old Lady (In A Rocking Chair)-Troy. M- unplayed. Unlisted. Jo Armstead penned, same track as Rhetta Hughes-Hip Old Lady but superior version. @£100 The Soul Rush-Night Owl-Custom(Tyler, Texas). Ex WOL Unlisted. Up tempo Northern with guitar and sax breaks. @£120 Danny Price-Come To Me- United Artists WD. M- Unlisted unbelievably for a major label. Has huge potential, anthem in waiting. Been discussed on Soul Source. @£100 ON HOLD Cheaters-Call A Cheater-Jolo (San Antonio, Texas). G++ WOL Unlisted. Five on Popsike @£65 Very catchy uptempo sound. SOLD Thanks for reading.

Five nice copies of this great tune up for grabs at £75 per copy. In Excellent condition within damaged labels, showing only negligible traces of languishing on a shelf for 40-50 years. Books at £200 in Manship #6. Clips on You Tube for sampling but look at some of those labels... Price includes postage, packing and insurance to UK addresses. PM to reserve a copy. Payment by Pay Pal via family and friends. Thanks for looking. Marvelle & The Blue Mats-Mellow Man-Dynamic Sound 2001 @ £75 per copy

Giving away something that is essentially worthless isn't generous but baseless, shallow and unfriendly...

PM'd you.

Only pointless if you sell the records for what you paid for them... Even if you keep the best 50 records, your collection has grown

We've all bought records in haste and have regrets with hindsight. Your posts are an insight for those intending to build a collection too quickly. Hopefully you can sell a few of the load to recoup part of the outlay - soul packs can indeed offer small profits to canny dealers who work hard at selling.

Error of judgement here methinks. Soul packs in the main are a WOT nowadays. They usually contain records that do not sell individually. Buying one thousand records blind is plain daft as you could buy 10-20 really good records that sound great and possibly gain in value. Decades ago, soul packs were a bargain. The best way forward these days is to buy bulk consignments only when the records are listed. Better still, get to know a range of dealers and buy precisely what you want on terms that are mutually beneficial.

A few nice tunes from unplayed dead store stock in Excellent condition. Prices include UK postage, packing and insurance. Payment by PayPal Friends and Family. PM please to reserve anything or if there are questions. Thanks for looking. Johnny Scott-Hide & Seek With Me -Portra: £25 Gee Gee Shinn-Come On Over-La Louisianne: £25 label ringwear Earl Lewis and The Channels-She Blew My Mind-Rare Bird: £15 off-centre but NAP Ronnie Angel-For Love-Onyx: £35 Virtually unknown blue-eyed Northern but good enough to play out Dorsey Burnette-Femine Touch-Dot: £15 VG+ few light marks

A few instrumentals on the obscure side. All in Excellent condition or better, mainly unplayed, from dead store stock. Prices include UK post, packing and insurance. PM please to reserve any or if there are questions. Thanks for looking Three Rivers Band-Ophelia-Lion: £50. Storming Northern uptempo good enough to play out. Pittsburgh rarity. Clip on You Tube. Nice crossover on B side. Unlisted in Manship #6 but rated at £200 in Tim Brown. Dan Falcon Jr Orchestra- One M & 7 D's-Double R: £25. Texas rarity only recently turned up. Mod sound with nice sax break. Sound bite on You Tube. Mod Mods-The Greatest Story-Rep: £20 Crusaders-Put It Where You Want It-Blue Thumb: £10. Wigan-Mecca sound now overlooked. Jimmy Cross-Play The Other Side-Tollie: £15.

Best to mention any flaws. Most buyers know what BB means and can judge whether to buy or not if the record has a cut-out hole. Most buyers are not fussed about drill holes but there are a few who are. Some bootlegs have been given the drill-hole treatment so caution is advised. As already mentioned, a drill hole on the run-out is a real problem and one that has put me off buying in the past.

£1,250 or the US dollar rate at the time. Great record and pretty scarce so might fetch more depending on who is duelling for it. On a Manship auction, expect it to top £1,500. For records like this, there is no fixed price as such.

A few original issues for sale. Prices include free postage in the UK. PM to reserve anything or further details. Payment by PayPal F&F. Thanks for looking. Joe Murphy-So Blue (Without You)-Vivid: white issue, Excellent condition, slight ringwear, £50 Incredibles-I Can't Get Over Losing Your Love-Audio Arts: Mint minus, looks unplayed, £30 Lovelites-I Found A Lover-Bandera: dark blue, clean labels, Mint minus, looks unplayed, £40 Onyx-You Never Fail To Amaze Me-Yew: VG+, £35 Blossoms-That's When The Tears Start-Reprise: Excellent, radio station sticker taped on reverse, £35 SOLD David and The Giants-Superlove-Crazy Horse:VG+, £25

I really like the yellow one but not too fussed with the white one that somebody's scribbled on.

Just slobbering all over the iPad looking at these photos. Some of my all-time favourites here that I can only dream about owning. Remember to take extra care when Hoovering...

Money well spent. Good tune and well worth the outlay.